Prime Highlights
- Ryanair will raise the bonus for staff who catch oversized cabin bags from €1.50 to €2.50 starting this November.
- The airline believes stricter baggage enforcement will speed up boarding and help reduce flight delays.
Key Facts:
- Passengers are allowed one free cabin bag up to 40cm x 20cm x 25cm and 10kg, with dimensions increasing slightly in September under new EU rules.
- Around 200,000 passengers each year are charged extra for carrying bags larger than the permitted size, with fees reaching up to £75 depending on the route.
Key Background:
Ryanair has announced that it will increase the incentive given to staff for identifying passengers carrying oversized cabin bags. Starting in November, staff will receive €2.50 instead of €1.50 for each oversized bag they identify, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary confirmed.
The change comes alongside the removal of the current €80 monthly cap on earnings from these bonuses, meaning ground staff and cabin crew could earn more by enforcing baggage rules. O’Leary explained that the step is not meant to trick passengers but to deter the small number of travelers who try to carry bags bigger than the allowed size.
Currently, Ryanair allows travelers one small cabin bag measuring up to 40cm x 20cm x 25cm and weighing 10kg. However, in line with new EU rules, the permitted dimensions will increase slightly to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm from September. Passengers who fail to comply can be charged as much as £75, depending on route and travel date, to have their bag placed in the hold.
According to O’Leary, around 200,000 passengers a year end up paying extra for oversized luggage. He backed the policy, noting that nearly all of Ryanair’s 200 million yearly passengers stick to the baggage rules without any trouble. He added that when travelers follow the guidelines, boarding becomes quicker, flights face fewer delays, and the overall experience improves for everyone.
The Ryanair boss was also critical of the UK’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) targets, which require airlines to source 2% of their fuel from SAF by 2025, rising to 10% by 2030. O’Leary dismissed the target as “nonsense,” arguing there is “not a hope in hell” of it being met due to limited supply. He added that the industry is likely to miss its long-term net-zero commitments as well.
Ryanair says its main strength is offering the lowest fares in Europe. By strictly checking cabin bags and rewarding staff who follow the rules, the airline hopes to keep flights running smoothly and make sure passengers stick to baggage limits.
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